curium (Cm)

A synthetic, radioactive, metallic element
of the actinide series. It was first made
in 1944 by Glenn Seaborg and his colleagues by the alpha
particle bombardment of plutonium-239
in a cyclotron and is named after Marie
and Pierre Curie. It can also be produced
by bombarding americium-241 with neutrons.
Silvery in color, curium is chemically reactive, intensely radioactive,
and is toxic if absorbed by the body. The isotope244Cm is used is to provide a compact power source for orbiting
satellites, the heat of nuclear decay being converted to electricity. Its
most stable isotope is 247Cm (half-life 1.6 × 107
yr).